The Service

The methods we use for creating new dreadlocks at Liz Kidder Studio are a combination of back-combing and crochet-hooking.

Service Prep. Hair must be thoroughly shampooed, preferably with a clarifying shampoo, before the service. No conditioner. Dry completely. Please do this prior to coming in for your appointment.

To begin, we take a section of hair (section size depends on hair density and desired thickness of the dreadlock) and backcomb it to create a really loose dread. Next, we’ll take a small crochet hook and weave loose hair back and forth through the dreadlock, starting at the root area in order to lock it in tighter. The crocheting is the time-consuming part, but will make the dreads much tighter from the start. As a disclaimer, the crocheting at the scalp area can be somewhat uncomfortable to most people, since individual strands of hair are being pulled/manipulated. It’s worth it anyway.

The service time will depend on your hair density, length, texture and the thickness you’d like your dreadlocks to be. Depending on your hair and what you want, it could take multiple days in the salon to finish an entire head of dreadlocks. We encourage clients to start with a few rows of dreadlocks (partial dreadlocks) underneath at the nape of the neck for the first appointment. This allows you to see how the service feels, and to see how your hair reacts to dreadlocks in the early stages, after washing, etc. From there, you can set up appointments to continue adding more or to finish the entire head.